Congress surprised over CM’s statement to make Himachal quarantine destination

HPCC chief Rathore asked the chief minister to take “practical decisions after due consideration” for reviving the state’s economy.

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Kuldeep Rathore on Sunday lashed out at chief minister Jai Ram Thakur over his recent statement of exploring ways to promote the hill state as a quarantine destination to boost tourism.

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In a statement issued here, Rathore asked the chief minister to take “practical decisions after due consideration” for reviving the state’s economy. “It is not only wrong to present Himachal as a quarantine destination but it may also prove dangerous for the state… The Congress would not accept this decision to give an open invitation to the pandemic,” Rathore said.

He said that the state government is not able to control the situation and this decision will be an open invitation for the pandemic as making the state a quarantine destination will increase coronavirus cases.

While expressing concern over increasing Covid-19 cases in the state, Rathore said that state government is not able to prevent the coronavirus pandemic and amid such a situation, CM’s efforts of reviving the economy of tourism and hotel industry by making Himachal a quarantine destination will prove to be an anti-people decision.

Thakur had recently told a private news channel that the state government might promote Himachal Pradesh as a quarantine destination by converting its hotels into quarantine centres.